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Steelers now in great shape to clinch the North now and latest playoff scenarios...

Ive been saying all along here the last few weeks that the key for the Steelers to really lock down this division was to win the next 2 games before the Pats game at home against Miami and Cincy and have either the Browns lose one of the next 2 to either Houston or Arizona more likely I said they would lose to Arizona which is exactly what happened. Now the Steelers can actually clinch the division this weekend with a win against New England which will be very very tough to do of course, and a loss by the Browns to the New York Jets in New York. Even if that doesnt happen this week all the Steelers have to do the rest of the way to win the North is either win 2 out of their last 4 games and get to 11 wins, or have the Browns lose one more game and get to 6 losses, and the Steelers win one more game and get them to 10 wins since the Steelers own the head to head tiebraker over the Browns. The Steelers if they dont end up clinching the North this weekend can still clinch a playoff birth on Sunday with a win over the Pats and a Tennessee loss to the Chargers this weekend.

Overall, at the very worst the Steelers are in great shape to win the North and be the number 3 seed in the AFC thus far. If things stay the way they are right now they will end up playing in the wildcard game either the Browns,Titans,Bills,or possibly even Denver or Houston who are still barely hanging on by a thread at 5-7. Still 4 weeks left and anything can happen with anyone of these 5 teams so we dont know who is going to grab that 6th and final spot. At the moment it looks like the Browns have the inside track on it but that can still change time will tell for sure here the next few weeks. The Steelers keep in mind can still get that number 2 seed over the Colts as well still remaining only a game behind them 10-2 to 9-3. The Colts next loss if it does happen will be to an AFC team because they have all AFC games left the last 4 weeks. So if the Steelers win out and the Colts lose one more game and they both finish at 13-3 the Steelers would own the tiebraker over the Colts because they would end up with a better conference record then the Colts. Now, that is a lot to ask especially with the Steelers having to beat the Pats this week still. A loss by the Steelers this week or one more time this season pretty much kills any shot they have at that number 2 seed and bye week.

Its why that Jets loss was an absolute killer and will probably costs the Steelers the 2 seed if they dont get it when all is said and done. For a team that is now 7-0 at home this season and having an advantage at home with the field conditions and stuff to get that bye week and play the Colts here or somebody else instead of going to Indy the 2nd week is a huge huge advantage and if you say it isnt your full of crap. This Steelers team needs as many games at home in the playoffs this year as they can possibly get. Its why it makes this game with the Pats this Sunday very very crucial. If they win it they have a great shot to still get the 2 seed over the Colts, if they lose it then they most likely will be the 3 seed and play at Heinz Field on wildcard weekend. Here is a link to all the playoffs scenarios for the weekend.

Yes indeed we do, but the bottom line is in order to get the bye week or have a shot the Steelers are going to need the Colts to lose one more game and pretty much win out. Its why I pointed out before had they beaten the Jets they could have actually afforded to lose this game to the Pats and still have a legit shot at the bye. However, since they lost that game to the Jets they no longer have that luxury and pretty much need to now win their last 4 games and especially this week versus the Pats. This is a big deal I think because for a team like the Steelers who has played and looked as inconsistent and up and down on the road this year as they have, and in contrast is 7-0 at home thus far getting the extra week off and having the home game and playing the Colts and Peyton Manning here on a sloppy muddy *** Heinz Field in the playoffs is a helluva a lot better then having to go down to Indy and win again in the playoffs. The Jets loss was a killer and it probably will costs the Steelers the bye week unless they beat the Pats this week.

You're right that the Jets loss was a killer. I don't see Indy losing again. If you look at the bright side all the talk will be about the Colts/Pats in the AFC Championship game, so they may be looking ahead.

We can point to the Jets loss or the Broncos loss, we should have won both of those games and then this wouldn't matter because we'd be the #2 seed. The Jags were our best shot to beat the Colts but at this point I don't think anyone else is going to beat them so it's up to us to just keep winning and get to the 3rd seed atleast. Who knows what will happen, the colts could lose and we could pick up the game or 2 we need to get into the 2nd seed but we just need to focus on NE right now.

The Colts still have 2 tough games left I think the Ravens are going to give them a tough game on Sunday night next week in Baltimore. The Ratbirds are giving the Pats all they can handle tonight in Baltimore so I look for them to do the same thing to the Colts next week on primetime again in Baltimore. And the other tough game will be against the Titans the last week of the season in a game where the Titans are going to desperately have to win to get in the playoffs and the Titans are known for playing Indy tough no matter where the game is. The other two Indy games are at Oakland and at home against Houston. Both of those games Indy should win. So while it looks like Indy may not lose a game the rest of the way I wouldnt bet my house on it that they dont. The Ravens and Titans game for Indy will both be very tough games in my opinion. But as you said TG the Steelers at this point need to take care of their own business and let the chips fall where they may with Indy. The 3 seed at this point is pretty much a lock for the Steelers unless they completely collapse.